Just saved a huge oak from girdling with a piece of old garden hose

Got a call last week about a big pin oak in a backyard in Dayton, the homeowner had staked it with wire years ago and forgot. The wire was totally buried in the bark. I was about to cut it out with my saw, but my partner said to try splitting a length of hose and sliding it behind the wire first. We used a 2-foot piece of 5/8 inch hose and a flat bar to work it in. It protected the cambium while we cut the wire, zero extra damage. Has anyone else used this trick on a really deep girdle?

2 comments

2 Comments

eva_garcia5620d ago

Ever think you had to just cut and hope for the best? I used to be all about the saw, but seeing a guy slide a piece of PVC pipe behind a buried cable changed my whole view. That hose trick is basically the same smart move, it buys you the room to work without making a bad cut.

oliver_ward1420d ago

Man, that PVC trick is a lifesaver. I was trimming some old bushes last year and almost sliced right into a hidden sprinkler line. Now I keep a short piece of garden hose in my tool bucket just for that. You slip it over the blade before you cut, so it stops the saw right before it hits anything buried. Saved me from flooding my own yard at least once. What other little tricks like that have you picked up?